UNIJOS law faculty backs Amupitan, rejects Dalung’s result manipulation claims
The Faculty of Law at the University of Jos (UNIJOS) has rejected allegations by former Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Solomon Dalung, accusing INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, of result manipulation, insisting that “nothing of the sort ever happened.”
Dalung had alleged in a Trust TV interview that Amupitan, while serving as Dean between 2008 and 2014, commercialised and altered the results of 16 students in the 2009/2010 academic session in favour of a group of “special students.”
But in a statement issued in Abuja, the Dean of the Faculty, Prof. Francis M. Kwede, described the claims as “false, baseless, and without moment,” adding that they were made “in the heat of partisan and political rhetoric.”
“In respect of the allegation that Prof. Joash Ojo Amupitan SAN traded off the results of certain 16 students… the Faculty states that nothing of the sort ever happened in that class, or indeed any other class,” the statement read.
Kwede maintained that there was “no manipulation and trading off of results of any number of final year students,” stressing that no group of students was unfairly awarded higher grades.
The faculty also credited Amupitan with reforming the result processing system, noting: “On assumption of office… Professor Amupitan introduced the use of Excel Spreadsheet for the compilation of results… which ensured the accuracy of the result.”
Defending his record, the statement added that Amupitan “conducted himself with the highest honour, candour, and integrity,” and that his tenure brought “academic and physical transformations” to the faculty.
On claims of victimisation, the faculty said there was “no record whatsoever” to support such assertions, pointing out that Dalung himself “completed his postgraduate studies and obtained his LL.M in December 2010.”
“There are no facts or records to substantiate the allegation of result favouritism… the same should thus be ignored,” the statement added.
